Communications Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The Communications Unit works on strengthening strategic partnerships and resource mobilization at the country level, while ensuring sustained and coherent social mobilization with national stakeholders towards the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment. All these areas of work are supported by extensive internal and external communication, drawing attention to the specific projects and campaigns implemented by UN Women in Jordan. As such, the Unit is also leading communication and advocacy efforts to enhance the visibility of gender-related instances at the country level, including the implementation of national, regional, and global advocacy campaigns, such as on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the annual Women Film Week, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence etc.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Representative or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the Communications Specialist Volunteer will:

1. Lead the development and implementation of communication and outreach/advocacy strategies and plans, with a specific focus on media: • Conduct communication needs assessments for the UN Women Country Office (CO), including projects, programmes and corporate change initiatives; • Design, develop, and implement communication and outreach/advocacy strategies, including media strategies; ensure gender perspective; • Integrate communication, advocacy and outreach strategies into proposals for project/programmes and other initiatives; • Monitor and analyse print and social media and prepare reports; • Manage in-country UN Women/ UN system corporate and local campaigns and special events;

2. Lead the development and dissemination of advocacy materials in the country: • Develop and produce communication and advocacy instruments and materials, including briefing materials, press releases, and articles and coordinate its dissemination through effective channels; • Identify and launch information opportunities, activities, approaches and platforms and partners; • Provide advice on advocacy materials and coordinate launching flagship initiatives and publications in the country; • Lead the engagement and supervision of video producers and other communication specialists to produce audio/ visual material on UN Women’s work; • Develop brochures, factsheets, stories from the field to inform media and general public at the country and regional level; • Follow guidelines from and report to HQ.

3. Manage media relations for the Country Office: • Lead relationship building with press in the country; maintain and update database of relevant press; • Respond timely and clearly to media inquiries and to a variety of inquiries and information requests; prepare related correspondence; identify topics, background information, news-related development and coverage of interest; • Organize roundtable discussions, press conferences, and briefing sessions with press; • Facilitate interviews with the Country Representative; connect media with UN Women subject experts; • Finalize talking points.

4. Build and maintain partnerships and maintain relations with donors: • Identify and develop new communication partnerships and alliances to enhance visibility; manage and nurture existing partnerships; • Liaise with advocacy partners and undertake outreach to civil society organizations, governments, and other groups to ensure that newsworthy information reaches the public and donors; • Guide and collaborate closely with communication colleagues in other offices to ensure consistency with corporate policies, messaging and initiatives; • Submit packages for programme initiatives for donor review.

5. Oversee the CO’s web/ online presence: • Oversee and maintain websites, including developing design and content; • Coordinate COs’ web-presence in the line with corporate web policy; • Oversee and manage social media accounts in line with corporate social media policy.

6. Facilitate knowledge building and sharing: • Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned from CO directly linked to programme country goals and activities and ensure exchange of information; • Provide training and workshops on communication and advocacy as appropriate;

7. Manage the people and financial resources of the communications unit· • Manage the communication unit budget; • Supervise Communications Analyst and Consultants; • Mentor and coach personnel and conduct performance assessments; · • Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary.

8. Perform any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor ·

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Professionalism • Integrity •Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UN Women’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

communications, public relations, or advocacy, including in media relations at national or international level. • Experience in the use of social media;
• Strong knowledge of managing web-based knowledge management systems; • Strong understanding of production, graphic design and photography standards; • Strong knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach; • Strong oral and written communication and editing skills; • Experience in media relations is an asset; • Demonstrated interest in gender equality and women’s empowerment is an asset; • Experience in the Arab States region will be considered an asset;

Location: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the Middle East. Bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea to the south and Israel and the Palestinian National Authority to the west.

Weather: Jordan’s climate can be classified as semi-arid (Bsh) on the Koeppen-Geiger classification. It features a hot, dry climate characterized by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan's location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area. January is the coldest month, with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, and August is the hottest month at 20°C to 35°C. Daily temperatures can be quite hot, especially in the summer; on some days it can be 40°C or more, especially when a hot, dry southerly wind blows. Such winds can sometimes be very strong and can cause sandstorms.

About 70 percent of the average rainfall in the country falls between November and March; June through August are often rainless. Rainfall varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is often concentrated in violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding, especially in the winter months.

Safety and Security: Jordan is a relatively stable country. The potentials for internal or external armed conflict are considered very unlikely in the current political environment. Peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes road blockages, do occur in Jordan, motivated by domestic factors such as unemployment, deprivation of resources and development or for regional issues such as solidarity with the Palestinian cause or with the Syrian crises. Most of these events are driven by civil society unions and Islamic parties. Domestic tribal civil unrest sometimes turns violent, especially outside main cities, due to tribal disputes or socio-economic reasons. In all occasions law enforcement agencies usually manage to contain the situation rapidly.

Road traffic accidents are the primary threat against UN personnel in Jordan. Poor road conditions and bad driving behaviours are the main reasons for the high rate of traffic accidents.

Amman is a category A duty station with security level 1.

Transportation and Housing: Taxis are abundant and readily available in Amman, though UN staff more frequently utilize Uber or Careem in recent years owing to convenience of the services. Public minibuses are the most common form of public transport for Jordanians. They normally only leave when full, so waiting times of an hour or more are inevitable, especially in rural areas. The larger air-con buses offer a speedy and reliable service, departing according to a fixed schedule. Housing is readily available with rents for one- to two-bedroom apartments ranging between 500 and 800 JD (1 JD = 0.71 USD) depending on the location.

Health Services: Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Almost all doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad.

Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent. Learn more about Jordan from the Ministry of Tourism’s website: https://www.mota.gov.jo/Default/En